Review: The Real Thing by Cassie Mae

My rating: ★★★★★
Genre: new adult, romance, contemporary, chick-lit.
Series: stand-alone

Blurb from Goodreads:

Eric Matua has one friend—his best friend and childhood sweetheart, who needs a place to stay for the summer. Mia Johnson has thousands of friends—who live in her computer. Along with her email chats and Facebook notifications, Mia also devours romance novels, spending countless hours with fictional characters, dreaming of her own Romeo to sweep her off her feet. When she starts receiving supersweet messages from a stranger who thinks she’s someone else, Mia begins to believe that real love is possible outside her virtual world.

When the two friends become roommates, Mia finds herself falling harder than she ever thought she could. But Eric keeps his desires locked away, unsure of himself and his ability to give his best friend what she deserves in a boyfriend. As her advances are continually spurned, Mia splits her time between Eric and her computer. But she soon realizes she’s about to lose the only real thing she’s ever had.

My review:

*ARC received through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.*
Original release date: August 19th,  2014.

"I think only bookworms understand the kind of power stories can have on a person," she says.

I finally made time to read this book and oh man, it was so worth it. I loved it so much. In most of the contemporary books the girl has the problem and the guy is the bad boy who changes completely when he meets the girl. This book was very refreshing because for once it was the boy and the girl who were struggling with something and they both didn't change for each other. They stayed true to their selves and adapt their lives to be able to live more comfortably. To be able to connect with each other without forgetting who they really are. That's what I loved about this book.

"People change, you know. They grow, they shrink, they bald, they get zits, they wrinkle. But each person is attractive in their own way, and they're attractive to someone else."

I loved both characters, so the switch between the two POV's was very nice.
Eric struggles with anxiety and Mia (also a booknerd) with a social media obsession. They are best friends and they are both in love with each other, but without knowing it. The storyline feels very real and Cassie did an amazing job at describing how they felt. I was completely sucked into their world and felt everything they did. I couldn't put this book down.

"I don't understand love completely but I know as I stare at his broken and hungry eyes, it's not lust that drives me. It's love."

This is also the first book I read from Cassie Mae and it certainly won't be the last! I love her writing style and I can't wait to read more from her!

"I can't tell if I hear your heart beating, or if it's mine," I say against his skin. His fingers glide over my shoulder, then trail down to my elbow.
"Aren't they the same thing?" he says.


View this on Goodreads here.